


The Biggest Mountains Rest on Solid Ground

by AgeOfTonyJunior



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Clint Barton Needs a Hug, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, For the bestest friend ever: CECE!, M/M, Rating: G - Freeform, Steve is sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-10-01 07:26:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17239991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgeOfTonyJunior/pseuds/AgeOfTonyJunior
Summary: Clint Barton learns that Tony Stark is missing after Thanos's attack on New York. His first priority is to make sure that Steve Rogers is okay.Set after Captain America: Civil War, before Avengers: Infinity War





	The Biggest Mountains Rest on Solid Ground

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Hi_Im_Lou](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hi_Im_Lou/gifts).



Outside his window, Clint could hear the hustle and bustle of the busy city he chose as his refuge: Manila, Philippines. It’s just before dawn if Clint is correctly reading the light entering his room through the small window, yet the city has already began roaring to life.

He sat up from the shabby bed causing the metal piece hanging from the chain around his neck to stir, the cool side turning and stinging his bare chest. He hissed and halted its movement with a firm fist before slowly releasing his hold and letting the metal rectangle rest against his palm. A single dog tag identifying a soldier, _Steve Rogers_.

Steve had given it to him as a promise a few years ago and he refused to part with it. He’d also given its twin to Tony on the same day. It was his way of letting them know that they hold his heart.

With a deep inhale, Clint pushed the thought away and got out of bed to start his day. There was work to be done in the market and he really didn’t want to think about what happened a year ago, not ever, but especially not when he hasn’t thought about either of the men for a long time.

He dusted his blanket and folded it before crossing the small room to where the TV sat. He turned it on to the news and proceeded to the bathroom. He mostly used it as white noise, never really paying attention to anything the news reporter said. Today was no different until he heard a familiar name.

“In a special report, New York has been attacked by an unidentified alien group. Billionaire Tony Stark is currently missing.”

Clint sped from the bathroom out to the TV and turned up the volume to hear the rest of the news report. The story painted that Tony was among a group of heroes who went up against the aliens. He didn’t recognize all of them but the location of only a few was known and Tony wasn’t among that group. He sank onto his bed and muted the TV once he’d heard enough.

Why is Tony missing?

Why hadn’t he called Steve?

He had the phone with him, he knew he did. He’d seen it on him the last time he saw him before leaving for Manila.

Why didn’t he call Steve and get the rest of the team to help?

Why risk it?

Why go up against a small army of aliens with a new team he’s not familiar with?

Why did they have to be away from each other?

Why did it have to turn out that way?

Clint’s head swam with questions he couldn’t begin to answer, all apart from one. He knew exactly why they were so far away from each other. The Accords.

After Steve and Tony’s falling out and Clint siding with Steve, he just couldn’t face Tony anymore. The three of them were supposed to be together despite everything that came their way and yet, a pile of paper written by politicians tore Steve and Tony apart. He knew to his very core that choosing a side was essentially picking one of his boyfriends over the other, but he had to choose.

The choice itself wasn’t hard, he knew where he stood. _The safest hands are still our own_. He could clearly hear Steve’s voice as he shared his view. And to him, that was exactly what needed to happen. Nevermind what the politicians think. But Tony had a different opinion and he knew from dating the both of them that they could break the ground they’re standing on just being stubborn enough.

He tried to stop them, tried to stand in the way of Tony’s repulsors and hold back Steve’s fists as they dented Tony’s armour. It was no use as the shield shattered the reactor and burst all of their hearts.

Tony felt betrayed by Steve and Clint knew that he betrayed Tony just as much, so he ran. He couldn’t stand to face Steve after what he’d done. He couldn’t stay near Steve knowing how much it would hurt Tony that they left him out. He succeeded at running away physically but could not succeed at running away emotionally, at burying away everything he’d witnessed and was a part of.

Why did it have to turn out that way?

Clint felt a cramp in his right hand and realized that he’d squeezed his fist tightly shut around the dog tag. He released it and massaged his palm before getting lost in thought again.

Tony is missing and Steve must be going out of his mind about him right now. He couldn’t let him be alone in that. He needed someone to ground him despite being as strong as he is. Clint learned very early on in their relationship that the one thing that can undo all of Steve’s composure and resilience is worry. He needed someone to keep him level or he could act without thinking.

The others, they’d definitely notice that something is wrong with Steve’s behaviour but no one would be able to steer him to clarity like Clint. And right now, Clint needed Steve just as much as Steve needed him. He made up his mind.

 

 

After a long flight spent worrying, Clint was finally in New York. He made his way through the airport quickly and went outside for a cab.

“Upstate.” He instructed the driver in a grim tone. Thankfully, his luck didn’t pair him with a chatty driver. Instead it was an elderly gentleman who did his job without prying into his customer’s life.

Once he arrived at a location close enough to his intended destination without giving away it’s secret location, he asked the driver to stop. After he paid and tipped the driver for letting him sit quietly with his thoughts, Clint took off running to the Avengers compound.

He didn’t have a key but that wasn’t a problem, he broke into the compound once before. Tony designed it to be impenetrable but his computer wasn’t. At least it wasn’t to Clint and Steve. Often times when Clint was bored on nights when there was no criminal activity, he would log onto Tony’s personal computer and browse his files. He found the plans for the security system of the compound and studied them closely. Now it’s as easy for him to break in as it is to shoot an arrow and hit a target.

After nearly twenty minutes of jogging, Clint reached the perimeter of the compound. All at once, many of his best memories flooded his mind like a tidal wave. Most of them were from the time he, Steve, and Tony lived in the compound. They each had their own room but they’d sneak into another’s every night. Each night, it was a different room and they’d spend the entire evening together when criminals decided to let them rest.

They’d watch movies and read and share snacks. They’d make love. Whenever that happened, one of them would leave the room. It was so that only a couple made love, never the three of them. The last time they spent an evening together in one of their rooms was the night before Tony’s guest appearance at MIT, before their lives were turned upside down by the Accords and Zemo.

Clint felt his hand cramp again and realized that he grabbed the dog tag with a death grip. He let it go, took a deep breath, and proceeded to bypass the compound’s perimeter.

Once inside, he was filled with even more nostalgia. Objects and appearances and scents that he hasn’t seen or smelled in a year were jogging his memory when he absolutely didn’t want them to. It was beginning to overwhelm him. He hadn't thought about any of that when he decided to travel back home.

He was lingering in the corridors and someone was bound to pass by eventually and he didn’t need the fuss of getting caught. And he did come all the way back to the compound for a reason. That got him moving and his feet took him to Steve’s room on their own.

As he stood outside Steve’s bedroom, he hoped it was still his bedroom. So much has changed in the past year that he’d been away but he couldn’t think of a reason why Steve would switch his room. And he needed to be sure before he snuck in and freaked out whoever the current occupant of the room is.

He stepped closer to the door and listened closely. He didn’t hear anything which was relatively consistent with Steve. He usually sat in silence or listened to classical music. But the silence could also be because the room’s occupant was asleep. He needed to try something else; he stepped closer still and then he was absolutely sure that this room was still Steve’s. No one else in the compound uses vintage aftershave. Clint could smell it coming from between the door and the doorframe.

He reached his hand out to the door handle and immediately froze. He was about to see Steve for the first time in a year and he had no idea what to say. He never even said goodbye before he left, just left a letter explaining why he needed to be as far away from him and Tony as possible. How can he face him now? And at a time like this?

What choice did he have? Tony is missing. There are aliens in New York again and Steve is under a lot of pressure as it was to lead whatever was left of the Avengers. He needed someone to ground him soon, not because he’s weak but because even the biggest mountain rests on top of solid ground.

“It’s Steve.” Clint whispered, brushing both hands through his hair. “It’s Steve.” He repeated, now hyper aware of how fast his heart is racing. He breathed, blew the air out in a rush and opened the door as quietly as he could manage.

The smell of the aftershave was stronger inside Steve’s room. It was also mixed with the scent of his favourite shampoo. The lights were also on in the bathroom. Clint assumed that he was getting ready for bed and it was a short time before he’d come out to the main area of the bedroom, so he sat down at the edge of the bed just out of sight of the bathroom.

He didn’t intend on sneaking up on Steve, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t alert him that someone was in his room. Steve is a super soldier, his senses are heightened, there was no way he could’ve missed Clint sneaking into his room. Except, Clint realized that a little too late.

Steve walked out of the bathroom carefully. “Who’s there?”

Clint’s heart clenched. He hasn’t heard that voice in so long, and even though it held nothing of the kindness it did when he spoke to him, it affected him nonetheless.

He could see Steve’s bare feet approaching him and he hadn’t said anything yet. His heart was beating fast and he didn’t know what he should say so he didn’t say anything.

“Who’s there?” Steve asked again, a bit louder.

He was closer. Clint could see the sweatpants he wore and where they sat on his hips. He took another step into the bedroom and Clint saw his bare skin above the sweatpants, the scar above his right hip.

He took a breath in and he knew that Steve heard. There was no point in waiting any more. He stood up and stepped towards the bathroom. Steve had stopped but Clint didn’t dare to look up. He couldn’t anticipate what it’d be like to see him after all this time. He stood there, a few feet away from the bed, staring down at the carpeted floor of Steve’s bedroom.

“Clint?” Steve whispered, not completely believing what he was seeing.

Clint’s heart plummeted through his chest. That’s the voice that Steve used when he talked to him. And how can he resist answering the man that voice belongs to.

He looked up from the floor slowly, shyly travelling up his body, up his legs, lingering on his right hip, past the expanse of his exposed chest to reach his face. The face that Clint didn’t even realize how much he missed. A gasp escaped his lips.

“It is you.” Steve murmured to himself.

Clint nodded, making Steve step forward, a smile forming on his lips. When Clint looked into his eyes, his smile turned sad and Clint knew why. Steve was quick to figure out why he was here: _Tony_.

Before he realized what was happening, Steve was moving. He crossed the room and was standing in front of him. He looked at him like he was making sure he was really there and it was really him, then smiled and wrapped his strong arms around him.

Clint couldn’t move; so much was happening so fast and he still couldn’t believe that he’s in front of Steve, let alone wrapped up in his arms. One of his arms was rubbing his back soothingly and the other was at his neck, holding him close.

He let out his breath in a sigh and willed his arms to move, to wrap around one of the two men he loves. Once he got them to move, he wrapped his arms tightly around Steve and tucked his cheek against his chest, breathing him in.

Oh, how much Clint had missed this, how he smelled, how his arms wrapped around him perfectly, sheltering him from the world, how he’d lean his down and press a kiss to his forehead. It was all too much. Clint gasped and began shaking in Steve’s arms, letting out his silent shudders as his tears began streaking his face.

Steve held him closer and kissed the top of his head. He knew that the rush of emotions was overwhelming, he felt it too. He’d do and be whatever Clint needed, and since he didn’t say anything, he just held him and waited for his shudders to pass.

It took some time before Clint could stop his tears. When he did, he wiped them away from his cheeks and looked up at Steve. “I’m sorry.”

“Sshh. You don’t need to be.” Steve whispered, bringing up his hand and wiping away a tear that Clint missed.

He smiled. Trust Steve to mommy him regardless of the situation. As he smiled, Steve’s face brightened up a little.

“Should we sit down?” Steve asked, tilting his head towards the bed.

Clint nodded and let Steve lead him there. They sat as Steve kept his arms around him and Clint was grateful.

They sat for some time, neither of them breaking the silence filled with only their steady heart beats and soft breathing. Clint was close to falling asleep as he listened to the soothing sound of Steve’s heart. But he couldn’t just yet.

He straightened himself up and lost contact with Steve’s arms. Steve was only momentarily confused until he recognized the look on Clint’s face that meant he had something to say. “I think you guessed why I’m here.” He began.

Steve nodded, pulling his legs up on the bed and crossing them, giving Clint his full attention. “I saw the news. I know New York was attacked. I know that Tony..” He stopped mid-sentence when Steve’s expression turned pained.

“Steve.” Clint took Steve’s hand in both of him. “That’s why I’m here. Because he means to me just as much as he means to you.” Steve looked down at his hand folded between Clint’s and nodded. He knew he needed Clint, knew that he couldn’t get through what was coming without him. He needed him so that together they can find Tony and they can fix what’s broken.

“You knew that I needed you.” Steve admitted, looking up into Clint’s eyes.

Clint nodded. “I need you too. We both just saw how much. And Tony needs us.”

Steve folded his hand around Clint’s. “I have no idea where to begin looking for him.”

“That’s okay. We can figure that out together. Like always.” He smiled.

Steve smiled small in return. “But I can’t ask you to put yourself in danger when you managed to get away from it.”

Clint shook his head. “Just because I wasn’t an Avenger for a year, doesn’t mean I wasn’t in danger. Maybe the aliens decided to hit Manila instead of New York.” He shrugged.

Steve laughed. He couldn’t remember the last time he laughed. Clint’s been here for half an hour and he’s already making him feel better.

Clint smiled fondly, a hint of pride seeping into it for drawing laughter out of the man he loves. He pulled a hand free and brought it up to cup Steve’s face. “I missed that sound.”

Steve looked away. “You’re the only reason for it.”

Clint cupped Steve’s other cheek so that he held Steve’s face between his hands. “I will devote everything so that I can keep hearing it.”

“Clint..” Steve shook his head.

“I will. And you know how stubborn I can be.” He insisted.

Steve smiled. He knew very well how stubborn Clint can be and he adored that he could use that to do what he sets his mind to.

“You’re strong Steve.” Clint nodded to emphasize. “The strongest. But you need us to maintain that strength.”

Steve bit the inside of his lip. Clint was right.

“That’s why I’m going to fight with you. So that I can bring Tony back to you, to us.” He leaned forward and pressed his forehead to Steve’s. “We’re stronger together.”

Steve recognized his own words. His heart felt like a flower in bloom because of the man sitting in front of him. It was almost perfect but they were missing Tony.

There was no way of knowing where he was but alone and worried, Steve never stood a chance. With Clint anchoring him and reminding him where his heart is, he would be stronger. He already felt stronger just having Clint in the same room as him.

“We’re stronger together.” Steve echoed, allowing himself to feel hopeful since the start of the cascade of bad news.

Clint grinned, happy that Steve was seeing things in a new light. “A really wise old man told me that once.”

Steve laughed at the joke and brushed his nose under Clint’s. The sound of it was more beautiful than all the music Clint ever heard.

**Author's Note:**

> Cece! I hope you enjoyed this. BTW, there's a little Easter egg in here somewhere. Did you find it?


End file.
